Book, Line, and Sinker

December 15, 2012
The quiet of the weekly crafternoon gathering at the Briar Creek Public Library is shattered by a loud argument between Milton, the octogenarian library-board president, and Trudi, the brassy head of the coastal Connecticut town's tourism department. Lindsay Norris, the librarian, intervenes, learning that Milton is protesting Trudi's support of opening up the aptly named Pirate Island to exploration for the long-rumored Captain Kidd's treasure. However, the antique map held by the salvage operator proves to be not of Pirate Island but of Ruby Island, thought to be haunted by an unsolved murder. Just as the library staff supports the community interest in pirates by setting up pirate-themed displays and programming, events turn sinister, with a body found floating in the excavation on Ruby Island. Fans of library crime will appreciate the authenticity of the library setting, and fans of cozies will enjoy the development of the relationships among the townspeople. Extras at the back of the book provide all the ingredients for a meeting of the crafternoon club: a cross-stitch pattern, book-discussion questions, and two recipes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)